Electric violins are used in all types of music. Prior development of electric violins has centered mostly on the method for producing an electronic signal from the vibrating strings. These methods are used to convert inexpensive factory instruments into electric acoustic violins. The latest designs include electronics and specially made bridges with multiple transducers that detect a signal from each string of the violin. The signals detected by the transducers are amplified within the instrument and the amplified signals are supplied to an external power amplifier with gain control. Further, sophisticated electronic signal interfacing techniques, such as MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) have prompted the use of electronic musical instruments.
Recently, some attention has been given to producing an instrument that offers increased accessibility to the upper playing positions. The upper playing positions are those located closest to the body of the violin. However, little attention has been given to classical design features of the violin. Some electric designs are merely a conventional violin neck with electronics attached.
Musicians develop tendonitis in the left hand, shoulders and back as a result of holding the instrument in playing position for an extended period of time and reaching around the body of the instrument in order to reach upper playing positions.
Since violins do not have frets like a guitar, the violinist uses certain physical features and dimensions of the violin design in order to facilitate proper location of the fingers on the strings. These dimensions are critical to the player when constructing a classical instrument.
In those designs for electric violins that incorporate a body little attention has been given to overall weight until recently. The electronic equipment inside the instrument weighs nearly half as much as a conventional violin. The angle of the strings as they pass over the bridge in many electronic designs has been modified so that the height deviation of the strings at the bridge is lessened, which is more like a guitar than a classical violin.
A violin design according to the present invention incorporates a standard angle at the bridge. This is important to the violinist. Standard violin strings are designed to operate at this angle. Also, when this angle is modified, it changes the feel of the string action when the violinist depresses the strings to the fingerboard. By maintaining this angle, the feel of a classical instrument has been preserved.
A violin which enables the violinist nearly unlimited access to the upper playing positions while retaining classical design features of violins is needed. Further, a violin that provides additional registration points to facilitate playing in the upper playing positions while paying strict attention to overall weight of the design is also needed.